300 'smart' villages to be developed in Gujarat

Gujarat govt will set up a Tribal university in the Narmada district, over 100 smart Ashram shalas, 10 new hostels for tribal girl students

On 57th Foundation Day, Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel today said her government has decided to make 300 villages across the state self-reliant on the lines of smart cities.

"Now that the concept of Smart Cities has reached Smart Villages, the government decided to make 300 villages self-reliant, clean and hygienic during this year," she said in an official release on Sunday.

Patel was in Chhotaudepur town of the tribal-dominated district, about 100 kms from here to attend state-level Foundation Day celebrations. Gujarat Governor O P Kohli will also attend the event later in the day.

Announcing a slew of measures on the occasion, Patel in her message said, "the government will set up a Tribal university in the Narmada district, over 100 smart Ashram shalas, 10 new hostels for tribal girl students at a cost of Rs 3 crore, besides 'Samras' hostels at a cost of Rs 10 crore."

"The government has reserved 33 per cent in jobs for women, under which 2,800 women have been employed in police department. There is a plan to provide jobs to 22,000 women this year," she said.

This is in addition to providing 300 sq m land and Rs 500,000 assistance to milk societies run by women to construct milk houses, besides providing chilling centres, milking machines and chaff cutters to 2.50 lakh Sakhi Mandals (self-help groups) of 35 lakh women.

To realise the goal of health for all, Patel said, "we have started certain key schemes like screening of 78 lakh women to test breast, cervical and mouth cancer besides treatment of 1,018 women cancer patients in super speciality hospitals free-of-cost, relief for poor and middle-class families under Amritam-Ma Yojna."

Also, allocation under Ma-Vatsalya Yojna has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 160 crore (Rs 1.6 billion) and the government is bearing the cost up to Rs 200,000 for each such patient, she said.

"The government has decided to provide free medicine to diabetes and blood pressure patients. It has decided to spend Rs 102 crore (Rs 1.02 billion) on 100 vehicles in 108 ambulance service.

"The government has earmarked Rs 27,000 crore (Rs 270 billion) in the current financial year for farmers, agriculture and allied sectors, including loan up to Rs 300,000 with 1 per cent interest for Rabi crop.

"Rs 9,500 crore (Rs 95 billion) for drinking and irrigation water, Rs 5,200 crore (Rs 52 billion) for filling up dams in Saurashtra, Rs 765 crore (Rs 7.65 billion) for drip irrigation in Rs 300,000 hectares and Rs 495 crore (Rs 4.95 billion) for the Prime Minister's Crop Insurance Scheme," she said.

The state will bear the cost of Rs 126 crore (Rs 1.26 billion) for seeds, fertilisers and farm implements, Rs 120 crore (Rs 1.2 billion) as assistance to farmers buy tractor-trailers, loan at 5 per cent interest to help farmers buy cattle, Patel said.

"Cleanliness is our culture and Gujarat is poised to set an example before the nation. Gujarat has alone built 70 per cent of toilets built in the country. We resolve to ensure not a single village remains without toilet," she said.

Gujarat has also shown the way to the nation in door-to-door waste collection, fulfilling the dream of building house for urban and rural poor, she added.

The state government has built 137,000 houses as against a target of 351,000 houses in urban areas and another 270,000 houses are being built in rural areas, she said.

"The government has introduced Lok Samvad Setu to ensure at least 90 per cent of people's problems are solved at complainant level," she added.

"We have started 'Mukhya Mantri Yuva Swavalambi Yojna' to provide equal opportunity, economic assistance and other facilities for them to pursue studies. We are providing textbooks, uniform and scholarships to 92 lakh children under this scheme and also Rs 35.42 crore assistance to meritorious students of the state for higher studies," the Chief minister said.

The state government has announced a policy as per the Centre's 'Startup India' and 'Standup India' campaigns.

A startup mission has been set up to realise innovative dreams of youth. The state government is spending crores of rupees to promote excellence in sports through Khel Mahakumbh. It has announced new sports policy. It has presented third successive gender Budget for the empowerment of women, the chief minster added.